What a weekend in St. Lucie County: Dec 21-23

What? Christmas already? If you're a procrastinator like me, you've probably got the whole weekend blocked off for last-minute shopping. Cancel that: I've still got Dec. 24. That's plenty of time. This weekend we all can enjoy these activities, holiday-oriented or otherwise, and hit the mall Monday night.

A Dickens of a show

Don't let the Ghost of Christmas Past haunt you years from now because you missed the South Florida Dance Company's original production of "A Christmas Carol" at 8 p.m. Dec. 22 at the Sunrise Theatre, 17 S. Second St. in Fort Pierce. Ebenezer Scrooge in all his "Bah-humbug" blather, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim (the kid, not the ukulele-playing, falsetto-singing weirdo) and the trio of ghostly apparitions will be brought to life in the contemporary ballet production. Tickets are $27. For information, call 772-461-4775 or go to sunrisetheatre.com.

More night = more stars

With Dec. 21 being the shortest day of the year, that means there's more night time for star gazing. The Treasure Coast Astronomical Society will give a guided viewing of the sky on the first night of winter from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 21 at Savannas Preserve State Park, 2541 Walton Road in Port St. Lucie. Using several types of telescopes, society members will describe what's in the sky and present facts about the moon, Jupiter and the constellations. If the weather cooperates, there should be very good views of the moon, Jupiter and the major constellations. Admission is free and open to all ages. For information, call the park at 772-398-2779 or visit friendsofsavannas.org.

Benefit concert

Several local musicians will perform at the Living No Worries concert to benefit the injured in a Nov. 25 accident in which a limousine carrying 15 people, most of them from Vero Beach, collided with a Jeep-type vehicle at 12th Street and 27th Avenue in Vero Beach. Eight people had to be hospitalized; but according to livingnoworries.com, a website set up to promote the concert, "No one walked away unharmed." The concert from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Endless Summer Vineyard & Winery, 4200 Johnston Road in Fort Pierce, will feature Matt Manning and Bruce Threlkeld, The Endless Summer Surf Band, Sleepin' Dogz, Mountain Spruce and Terry Dobson. Tickets are $10. For information, call 772-460-0500 or go to endlesssummerwine.com or livingnoworries.com.